A filthy all-you-can eat Chinese restaurant was shut down for a second time after hygiene inspectors discovered ‘animal excrement’ next to food.

Wen He admitted a catalogue of food hygiene breaches after mouse droppings were found on kitchen surfaces and next to onion rings at Imperial City.

An electric fly killer was already full of insects, so flies were landing on the food at the restaurant on Yorkshire Street in Oldham town centre.

Food inspectors also found staff were not wearing protective clothing, washbasins were not adequate and one sink was being used to hold a bin liner. Chopping boards were mouldy, a fryer was thick with grease while walls, floors and food preparation areas throughout the premises were dirty.

Mr He, who had been running the business since 2006, pleaded guilty to six food hygiene offences following the inspection.

Oldham Magistrates heard it was not the first time bosses had been told to clean up the buffet restaurant.

In 2010 the restaurant was shut down after a live mouse and beetles were discovered.

It reopened in October but mouse activity was found again five months later and when it was reinspected in 2012 the premises were infested.

Ruth Crimmins, prosecuting , said: “These issues were long standing. There were mouse droppings everywhere and the premises were described as ‘filthy’.”

Mr He told the court he was ill before the inspection and was unable to supervise the business.

District Judge James Prowse sent the case to crown court for sentencing as he didn’t believe the court had ‘appropriate powers of punishment’.

He added: “There is a long history of appalling risk to people’s health and to comply with the most basic adequate food safety.”